Embodiments relate to modifying situation awareness level of a user of a vehicle, and in particular to an apparatus for controlling a user situation awareness modification of a user of a vehicle, and a user situation awareness modification processing system.
Driver assistance system may partially or fully take over the lateral and/or longitudinal control of a vehicle. Warning systems may be used to warn drivers about dangerous situations which may occur while driving in partially autonomous or highly autonomous mode. However, such warnings may not always be delivered on time to the user. It is desired to improve in-vehicle driver assistance systems and manual driving systems to increase the safety of drivers, for example.
Document US2013/0131905 relates to provoking a response from a user of a vehicle to an artificially applied stimulus provided by the vehicle. Such a stimulus may be a beep from a speaker or a blink from a lamp, for example.
As such, there is a need to provide a concept for improving the safety of driving a vehicle.
Some aspects of the invention relate to an apparatus for controlling a user situation awareness modification of a user of a vehicle, comprising an input module configured to repeatedly receive a first event detection signal comprising information related to a detected event outside a vehicle and to repeatedly receive a first user detection signal comprising information related to a reaction or a missing reaction of a user to the detected event outside the vehicle. The apparatus further comprises a processing module configured to determine a user situation awareness level based on the information related to the detected event outside the vehicle and the information related to the reaction of the user to the detected event, and to generate a control signal configured to control a user situation awareness modification module based on the determined user situation awareness level.
Some aspects of the invention relate to a user situation awareness modification system, comprising at least one event detection module configured to repeatedly generate a first event detection signal comprising information related to a detected event outside a vehicle. The user situation awareness modification system further comprises at least one user detection module configured to repeatedly generate a first user detection signal comprising information related to a reaction or a missing reaction of a user to the detected event outside the vehicle. The user situation awareness modification system further comprises a processing module configured to determine a user situation awareness level based on the information related to the reaction of the user to the detected event, and to generate a control signal configured to control a user situation awareness modification module based on the determined user situation awareness level. The user situation awareness modification system further comprises a user situation awareness modification module configured to modify a user situation awareness level based on the control signal.
Some aspects of the invention relate to a method for controlling a user situation awareness modification of a user of a vehicle. The method comprises repeatedly receiving a first event detection signal comprising information related to a detected event outside a vehicle. The method further comprises repeatedly receiving a first user detection signal comprising information related to a reaction or a missing reaction of a user to the detected event outside the vehicle. The method further comprises determining a user situation awareness level based on the information related to the detected event outside the vehicle and the information related to the reaction of the user to the detected event. The method further comprises generating a control signal configured to control a user situation awareness modification module based on the determined user situation awareness level.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.